


Ashes of War: Haven or Hell, The Guilt of the Innocent, Golem, Into the Mirror Darkly, The Embrace of Eternity

by WiccidWrytings



Series: Mass Effect Ashes of War: [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Multi, Other, PTS trigger warnings: Graphic nonconsenual, Substance Abuse, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-03-30 00:21:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19030942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiccidWrytings/pseuds/WiccidWrytings
Summary: You have all heard stories from the heroes of the Reaper War but what about the others? The lesser people caught up in the fires of war? Here are some of those tales, stories of those left in the ashes, otherwise forgotten.





	1. Haven or Hell Prolouge

Ashes of War

Leonidas, Achilles, Alexander, Hannibal, Napoleon, Nelson, Zulu, Khan, Salahuddin, Washington, Shepard. You say any of those names to any human, chances are they will know exactly whom you are talking about without any further reference. Why? They are the heroes of war. Even when they lost, they lost so big and heroic that their names burnt into eternity. Chances are, other races have their war masters as well. Though whether these people were truly heroes, or merely successful villains depends largely upon who is telling the tale. The fact that they were larger than life and are unforgettable is not arguable. This war is no different. Each race will have their heroes and generals etched into monuments from now until the dust takes us all. The Normandy and her crew of nations will be forever known as the ship that saved a galaxy. What of those that fought and died or fought and lived? What of those that merely survived? These are the tales of those whose names would otherwise turn to ash as the flames of war dwindle to embers before it is yet again sparked anew, and new names are added to the nameless of eternity.

I have taken five tales from the annals of time and have chosen to preserve them with what pittance of justice I can with my telling. For that is all I am: a teller of tales. I took no part in this fight. I observed and watched from the relative safety of a colony neither you nor the Reapers have ever heard of. My name is Enrick Hollister, and these are the stories of the Ashes of War.

Contents:  
1\. Haven or Hell: The story of the students of Los Angeles School for the Technically Gifted.  
2\. The Guilt of the Innocent: The story of a teenage girl trying to keep her sister alive  
3\. Golem: The story of a security officer trying to protect his charge  
4\. Into the Mirror Darkly: The story of a fallen soldier’s attempt at atonement  
5\. The Embrace of Eternity: The story of a passenger ship desperately trying to find a safe harbour.


	2. Haven or Hell: Chapter 1: Arrival/Lost in the Sauce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Cadet Zach Wherner has arrived on campus and is immediately completely out of his element. Much more comfortable on the battlefield than the classroom. He Meets a couple of people then his first day gets dark.

Haven or Hell

Arrival/Lost in the Sauce:

“Excuse me, Cadet. Cadet. Hey, you in the blue. Yeah, you. Are you lost?” the professor asked the mid 20’s student dressed in an Alliance blue and gold uniform.

The student looked up from his omnimap and accidentally looked a little too long at the not unattractive older woman standing in front of him before stuttering, “Ye… Yes. Sorry, first day as a cadet. Was a Chief until yesterday, not used to the title. But yes ma’am, I’m lost as they get. Funny thing, considering my job was navigating battlefields and finding paths for others.”

“Ah well, by the look of you I’d say Infiltrator? Or maybe Pathfinder unit?”

“Scout Infiltrator, 45th Volunteers: Thunderbirds, ma’am. How’d you know?”

“Husband was a Pathfinder for the 235th. He was an N4 before he was killed.”

“Oh, sorry for your loss, ma’am. Pathfinders are the best scouts we have. He must have been a hell of a marine.”

“He was, not so much of a husband, but thanks anyway. So, can I help you find your building before you call a surveillance drone?”

“Uh, yeah, sure. I’m looking for Gibson Hall.”

“Ah, coding. Good course for a future LT. What you want to do is go past the courtyard here and take a left at the Student Union, then it is the second building on the right. Oh, Victory Hall is just past that on the left. You’ll probably want to check in there with Light Commander Tallis before you leave today. He is a stickler for rules and protocol.”

“Ah, thanks, uh, ma’am. Sorry, didn’t get your name. I’m Zach, Zach Wherner.”

“Professor Villance, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering.”

“Well thank you again, Doctor.”

“Professor, and you’re welcome. Good luck, cadet. Always Forward.” 

“Always Forward.” Zach could only watch in wonder as the professor walked away. She had definitely left an impression on him. Not only her bearing, but the fact that she knew his unit’s motto even though her husband was not part of it. He shrugged his jacket tighter over his shoulders before looking into the fall sky and heading across the courtyard toward his new life and new destiny. 

Cadet Wherner looked down the path and noted the buildings the professor pointed out. He couldn’t lounge about any more, he had a class to get to. He sighed and shook his head after gazing upon a coed walking along the path in shorts and a hoodie. He laughed, “College is going to be interesting.”

The voice from behind him almost made him jump out of his skin. He apparently got out of military mode a bit too soon, “It has been so far, but then again, I have only been here about an hour and on earth for about a week.”

Zach turned to the sound and saw a girl of dark blue, cute but still very young in appearance. Well girl is a term. Her species technically doesn’t have a gender. He greeted the girl warmly and tried in vain to push down his natural inclination to flirt with anyone he found even mildly attractive, “If it helps, other than training, this is my second day on earth. I’m from Rendol in the Traverse. Oh, my name is Zach.” He awkwardly stuck his hand out and the blue girl took it with a giggle and a sideways glance attempting to hide a grin, “I am Cianna. I come from Thesia. I have come to earth to learn more about my father. She was a human civil engineer my mother met during a study on foreign city layouts carried out by this very campus. Guess that is what brought me here.”

After a brief pause as he worked through the father being a she, he continued, “Sorry, not used to fathers being women. Haven’t worked with many asari. My unit was on the other side of the galaxy.”

Cianna shrugged, “It’s ok. Slowly getting used to it. I forget many humans aren’t as comfortable with other species as asari are.”

It was Zach’s turn to shrug and blush, “No it’s not that. It’s just uh, I’m not used to the one gender thing. Anyways, this school is very selective. it only allows 3% nonhumans to attend. You must be very skilled and or your father very influential.”

“Hardly, she left the school after she graduated. As for skilled, you just might have to hang around me to find out what in.”

She laughed and started to walk off ensuring to cross in front of him and shake her hips just a bit more than necessary. Zach laughed under his breath but then took off towards her gaining back up to her and got her attention again. “Wait, first, how do I contact you and two, how old are you? I fear you might be a bit old for me. All the asari I know are around 150 years old or more.”

“Well first, you have my name, an omnitool, and which school I attend. Since you also made the grade to get into this school, I’ll assume you are smart enough to figure out the rest. As for the second part, this is actually my first degree, I am 19 earth years old. My family threw a fit when I told them I was going off world for education so early. Yet here I am and if you’ll excuse me, here I go, I’m late for Intro to Computers.”

“Interesting indeed. That’s where I’m headed. Wanna walk together?”

“See, you already found out how to find me. Let’s go” 

They started to walk towards their class when Zach noticed a weird temperature change then the sky grew dark as if a cloud were covering the sun. He looked up and stopped in shock at the sight before his eyes, “Run Cianna, into the building, there!”

She was confused at the sudden yell and the not so gentle shove towards the door. She followed his gaze then agreed to move as fast as she could. She saw what one of her friends from the Citadel had described as Sovereign. “I thought they destroyed that thing.”

Zach ran ahead but answered, “They did, that is his big brother. Their existence is classified.”

All pretense of lost student left his body and mind as his marine brain kicked in. He rushed to the building in front of him, barely noting that it was indeed Gibson Hall, the computer technologies building. He gathered a couple of other students who were glaring into the sky by shouting at them in the best NCO voice he could muster, “Into the building. NOW, move, move, move.”

The dumbstruck coeds, not used to being yelled at like that glanced at him in a zombie like state and back up at the ship filling the sky. They then ran for the door. Just before the crowd got to the door, a flash of light blazed from the asari’s hands and the doors flew open. They all crowded into lobby, not wanting to get too far away from the windows. 

Cadet Wherner took a second to catch his breath and then opened up his omnitool and spoke into his wrist, “Any Alliance personnel in the Las Angeles area, this is Chie… Cadet Wherner at the LA School for the Technically Gifted. Code Rain. I say again, Code Rain.” 

He paused and bent over still trying to catch his breath and survey his surroundings. With him was Cianna, two female students carrying their school books, two male students, and an older man who looked like a teacher. Soon his omni cracked to life as a VI voice came over the coms, “Cadet Wherner, this is Alliance Pacific Command, please verify clearance code.”

“Sierra India 45 Echo 7, Whiskey Zulu Alpha 378. Dauntless”

“Cadet Standbye…code verified Chief Gunnery Sergeant Zachary Wherner…”

A live voice came over the coms and sounded stressed and worried, “Cadet, sorry for the delay not many in-trains have that clearance. We had to verify. Code Rain confirmed. Initiate Rain plan Bravo 2. Please acknowledge”

Zach sighed then replied, “Understood Command, Bravo 2. Please be advised, Black status plus six charlies in tow. Going to Victory Hall eta 45 seconds.”

“Understood, do what you can, Pacific Command out.”

By now, everyone was staring at him. A short man about 19 or 20 spoke first, “What the hell is going on? What, is, that? And finally, what the hell did you just say?”

Zach steadied himself and spoke while also looking outside, making a plan, “That is a reaper. A synthetic creature bent on the destruction of all organics. You may have heard of Sovereign and the battle of the Citadel? Well, he wasn’t alone. As far as the rest of the code, Bravo means communications off world are out and 2 means we are on the defensive. I am to go to the nearest Alliance post and await orders. Black means I have no weapons and all of you are the charlies. I’m supposed to bring all noncombatants with me to shelter. Enough for now, we gotta go, like yesterday.” He paused before continuing, “I am ordered to go to Victory Hall over there, there are Alliance personnel and more importantly an armory. Not a great one but better than the nothing we have now. Speaking of, Cianna, I saw you use biotics, how well can you use them?”

The blue woman stuttered but continued, “Like most asari I guess. I know mostly defensive things, I was not trained as a commando or anything. I can push or throw in a pinch but nothing devastating.”

“Ok, that’s what we have. Everyone, prepare to move.”

Just before they headed out, they were knocked back as the reaper created the loudest bass sound they had ever heard while a blinding flash of red erupted from its center. The ground exploded along the trail of a blazing beam that moved along the courtyard blowing out the hall’s windows and headed directly into Victory Hall. The building turned to instant rubble and flame.

Zach stared out of the now windowless portal and just above a whisper stated, “Well, time for plan B.”


	3. Plans B-I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After watching the first strike the group makes a plan of action and introduces themselves.

Zach helped pick up one of the women who fell from the blast. Now his battle instincts were fully engaged. He scanned the courtyard and found burnt ash falling from the sky and rubble where ashes and a university stood not 10 seconds before. He then spotted the professor he spoke to a lifetime ago staggering towards the door, covered in blood and dust. He ran out and grabbed her, brining her into the scant safety of the building. He once again scanned the group. “Anyone have any kind of medical training?”

The young woman he had helped up slowly raised her hand, obviously still in shock. “I… I have some first aid training from the scouts. Never had to use it beyond a couple of scrapes though.”

Zach quickly looked around and saw only blank stares and head shakes. “Well that will have to do.” He pointed to the white box on the wall by the reception desk, “Grab that kit and get to work on the professor. I have to call into HQ and see if we can get an evacuation. Everyone else, gather yourselves and see if you can find anything useful. No telling how long until help arrives.” He knew that the civilians would be almost useless in the search for items, but he also knew that giving them tasks would ward off panic, at least for the time being. It would also give him a chance to estimate their abilities in case this was half as bad as he feared it was. They may be relying on each other very soon. 

“Pacific Command, this is Cadet Wherner. Victory Hall destroyed. Estimated 100% loss. Now have seven charlies one ambulatory casualty. Please advise.”

Static came over the line and there was no response. Feeling frustrated but trying to hide it, Zach tried again. “PC come in. Victory Hall destroyed please advise.”

This time, a grizzled voice with a slight southern accent came across the line, “Sorry kid, hq and pretty much the entire coast is gone. You’re gonna have ta make it to safety on your own.”

“Say again and please identify.”

“Lieutenant Colonel Mathias Wright, call sign Longhorn. I say again, head quarters destroyed. All units initiate survival in place.” After a brief pause the voice came back on the line, “Ok cadet, I heard you use a scout platoon code so I assume you are not as green as most cadets.”

“Roger Longhorn, Chief Gunnery Sergeant 45th Volunteers. Started school today.”

“Ok kid then you should make it. You said you are at the Gifted school so your call sign is now Last G. Before we lost contact with surveillance, it showed a large contingent moving toward the campus from the west. Best advise I can give is to either get hunkered underground or head toward the woods and hills east of your position. Your call. You are on the ground. You might try the campus police station. They usually have some kind of weaponry. Sorry we can’t help you with a lift. We are evacuating what’s left of the city and Point Loma.”

Zach’s heart and throat fell through his feet straight into the ground beneath him before he answered, “Roger Longhorn, we are headed for the woods. We cannot fight here and hopefully my evasion training will be useful there. Will attempt to reestablish contact then. Plan India Foxtrot initiated. Last G over.”

Zach could here a slight laugh come over the line “Roger Last G, India Foxtrot understood. God speed and see you on the other side. Longhorn out.”

Zach gestured to the group to gather around and knelt in the middle of them. “Looks like we are alone. I know you all are scared but we have to keep our heads here. Given the where we are, I can assume that our heads are gonna be a great weapon. Everyone here is a genius on some level. First, we need to introduce ourselves, then come up with a plan, then execute.”

The smallest of the group, a young man who looked about 12 but had to be at least 18 spoke up, “We aren’t soldiers, what are we supposed to do? We can’t do this.”

Zach rose and gently took the youth by the arms, “I know that, that is why we are running and not fighting. However, we have to think this through, or we will all be dead.”

The youth nodded his head slowly but never took his eyes off the ground. The older man now spoke up, “Ok kid, what’s the plan? Also, what is India Foxtrot? That is one I haven’t heard from my fleet days.”

Zach almost laughed, but caught himself given the seriousness of the situation, “India means improvise as all other plans have failed. Foxtrot means we are fucked. It is some dark humor the marines use to get us through the rough. Anyway, let’s start. I’ll go first. I’m Zach Wherner. I’m 27 and formerly a scout infiltrator in the Alliance and am trained in evasion and demolitions, along with some other nasty skills. My major is computer programing.”

Professor Villance winced in pain and held her left hand over a nasty cut on her side but stood straight none the less, “I am Professor Carmen Villance doctor of mechanical engineering. My age doesn’t really matter right now.” 

Zach nodded before nodding at the older gentleman, “I am Lance Carter, custodian but retired Petty officer Second Class, communications. Not much good now but here to help what I can. Bum knee but I’m here sir.”

“Good, you’ll be able to help us get through this.”

The group caught on and was now going in clockwise order around the circle. “Heather Graham, 19 cybernetics sophomore”

“Kyle Quinn, 22 omnitech bachelor’s. Just started theoretical research master’s.”

Zach nodded, “That could be useful, I have a modified mark VII that we may need tweaked.”

“Cianna, 19 computer programming. Also, fledgling biotic.”

“Katie Smothers, 20 structural engineering major, archery scholarship.”

“Eric Wilder, 16 savant, dual major mass effect mechanics, quantum physics.”

Zach again nodded before asking, “Anyone know where the police station is?

The professor spoke up, “Across campus past the university center, and next to the parking lot.”

“Ok, well let’s go. Everyone, gather your things and let’s make a break for it. Just prepare yourselves to see things you are not ready for. I’m not going to lie, the next few days are going to get worse before they get better. We have to steel ourselves now if we are going to make it. Saddle up and roll out.”


End file.
